• by Masha Geller , February 25, 2002

I know this is not directly related to online advertising, but today there seem to be a lot of announcements of celebrities in the ad world.

First off, two of the Internet's most successful brand-builders are at it again. This morning, priceline.com kicked off a new radio advertising campaign, featuring none other than longtime priceline.com celebrity spokesman William Shatner. Thankfully, he won't be singing this time around, but he is teaming up with a new co-spokesperson (spokes-thing, actually) - the priceline.com super computer that toils day and night to find airline tickets, hotel rooms and other travel products.

Second, Procter & Gamble today announced a major marketing partnership between Crest Whitestrips and figure skating darlings Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. This is the first major post-Olympic deal to come out of the 2002 Winter Games and will take place over the next year. Sale and Pelletier will promote Whitestrips throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as serve as ambassadors to the Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 initiative, a 10-year effort with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to improve the state of oral health among inner-city children.

Third, speaking of spokes-things, the launch of a new advertising campaign from Michelin takes one small step for the tire maker and one giant leap for the Michelin Man. The Michelin Man, one of the world's most recognizable icons, takes center stage in U.S. advertising for the first time as Michelin North America introduces a branding campaign featuring three new television spots - including the debut of a spot featuring the Michelin Man as a space shuttle astronaut.

And speaking of figure skaters, her breathtaking gold medal performance in Thursday's figure skating finale captured the hearts of the nation, and now America's newest champion is being honored on the cover of the fabled orange Wheaties box. At a press conference today in Salt Lake City, Wheaties announced the release of a new package honoring women's figure skating champion Sarah Hughes.